1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for storing (or housing) a roof and a rear pillar of a convertible hardtop.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, convertible hardtop vehicles in which a roof panel can be stored are known. In this kind of vehicles, the driver has a feeling of openness when the roof is open, and while the roof is closed, an impression of sturdiness is provided as given by vehicles having a fixed roof structure.
The convertible hardtop vehicles have (i) a structure for storing a roof panel and a rear pillar into a rear trunk (refer to article xe2x80x9cToyota Soalaxe2x80x9d, Jidosha Kougaku (Automotive Engineering), Vol. 6, pp. 66-75, 2001), or (ii) a structure for storing a roof panel and the like between a rear trunk and a seat (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 6-286470).
However, in the former structure in which the roof panel is stored in the rear trunk, the rear trunk must be excessively large; therefore, design or formation of the vehicle is considerably limited. If the area of the roof panel or the like is made small so as to use a small rear trunk, then the room space of the vehicle should also be small.
In the latter structure, the rear trunk can be smaller in comparison with the former structure. However, when the roof is stored, baggage on a back seat may be blown by the wind.
In consideration of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage structure for convertible hardtop for effectively using a stored roof while no excessively large rear trunk is necessary.
Therefore, the present invention provides a storage structure for storing a roof (e.g., a roof 3 in an embodiment explained below) and a rear pillar (e.g., a rear pillar 4 in the embodiment explained below) of a convertible hardtop vehicle which has plural row forward-facing seats, in which the roof is substantially horizontally stored and the stored roof is positioned from the vicinity of the back side of a backrest (e.g., a backrest 13a in the embodiment explained below) of the most front seat (e.g., a front seat 13 in the embodiment explained below) in a manner such that the roof bestrides a parting line (e.g., a parting line K in the embodiment explained below) between the rear pillar and a trunk lid (e.g., a trunk lid 23 in the embodiment explained below) of the vehicle, and the rear pillar is stored under the roof.
According to the above structure, it is possible to employ a roof which is long in the longitudinal (i.e., front to rear) direction and is stored in a manner such that the roof bestrides the parting line. Therefore, the rear trunk need not have an unnecessarily large space so as to store the roof; thus, the flexibility of design and the appearance of the vehicle can be improved.
That is, a very large rear trunk, which is necessary for storing the roof and the rear pillar, is unnecessary; thus, the room of the vehicle can be larger so that a sufficient space for sitting on the front seat and the back seat can be provided. In comparison with the conventional structure in which the entire roof is stored in the rear trunk, even when the roof is open, the rear truck includes a sufficient space. Therefore, it is unnecessary to keep the rear trunk empty in consideration of storage of the roof; thus, it is very convenient.
As a typical example, the roof is positioned from the vicinity of the back side of the backrest of the most front seat to the vicinity of a backrest (e.g., a backrest 14a in the embodiment explained below) of the most back seat (e.g., a back seat 14 in the embodiment explained below), and the rear pillar is stored between the backrest of the most back seat and a rear trunk (e.g., a rear trunk 24 in the embodiment explained below) of the vehicle.
According to this structure, the roof, which is substantially horizontally positioned from the back side of the backrest of the most front seat to a backrest of the most back seat, is stored in a manner such that the roof covers a corresponding top area (of the vehicle body) above the back seat. In addition, the rear pillar is stored at a position by which the space in the rear trunk has no considerable decrease. Therefore, the space (covered by the roof) above the back seat can be used for keeping baggage and the baggage on the back seat is not blown by the wind while the vehicle is running. Accordingly, the space for keeping the baggage can be enlarged together with the rear trunk.
The backrest of the most front seat may have a divided upper portion (e.g., an upper portion 14b in the embodiment explained below) which is attached to a lower portion of the rear pillar. Accordingly, the height of the backrest of the back seat (which has a divided form and is stored together with the rear pillar) can be lower than that measured when the roof is opened, where the decreased height approximately corresponds to the height of the divided upper portion. Consequently, the roof, which is substantially horizontally arranged, can be stored at a lower position. Therefore, the appearance of the vehicle can be much improved.
As a typical example, the roof and the rear pillar are stored in a folded form therebetween. The folded form may be produced by a folding mechanism for forcing the roof and the rear pillar to have the folded form.
The stored roof and the trunk lid may form a continuous profile which is substantially horizontal.
In addition, a rear portion of the stored roof may be covered by a front portion of the trunk lid.
Additionally, an area above a back seat may be covered by the stored roof and is used for storage.